jmProperty of the - r U n io n C o u n t y .-, L o c a l S o u r c e VOL. 99 NO. 14 75 CENTS THURSDAY. APRIL 7. 2016 UNIONNEWSDAILY.COM Lead levels in New Jersey cities worse than Flint By Elana Knopp supply. According to Elyse Pivnick, director of environ­ Affairs supervises 5-year cyclical inspections of rental Staff Writer mental health for Isles, Inc., a community development buildings with three or more units, as well as those with There is a crisis in New Jersey, but Gov. Chris Christie organization based in Trenton, 80 percent of lead expo­ one or two, but according to Pivnick, the money just isn’t there. “They say they never received funding to staff this isn’t home — and he isn’t the only one. sure actually comes from older homes. “We became com­ Recently it was revealed that li cities and two coun­ placent,” said Pivnick. “Lead was taken out of new paint policy,” says Pivnick of the NJDCA. ties in New Jersey have higher lead levels than in Flint, and gas in the ’70s, and it has reduced it. But the data According to Pivnick, there were more than 3,000 Michigan, a city that was declared to be in a state of hides the facts. The numbers hide the fact that urban new cases in New Jersey in 2015 of children under the emergency due to a contaminated water supply found to kids are poisoned two to four times higher than their age of 6 with elevated levels of lead in their blood. Since 2000, about 225,000 young children in the state have have alarmingly high levels of lead. suburban peers.” According to New Jersey Department of Health sta­ Some of the data Pivnick is referring to is established been afflicted. tistics from 2014, these cities and counties had a higher by The Center for Disease Control, who uses a reference Which begs the question: Why is this happening? percentage of children with elevated lead levels than level of 5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children According to lawmakers and advocacy groups, this is those in Flint in 2015. Irvington, East Orange, Trenton, with blood lead levels that are much higher than normal. a problem that could have and should have been Newark, Paterson, Plainfield, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Yet according to Pivnick, this is a problem. “The CDC addressed years ago by using funds that were supposed Atlantic City, New Brunswick and Passaic are communi­ decided that they were going to look at the highest 2.5 to go toward lead abatement and prevention programs, ties named on the list, along with Salem and Cumberland percent of test results, yet at the same time they say there but instead were siphoned off by Christie and used to fill counties. And, according to Nina Arce, Media Coordina­ are no safe levels of lead,” said Pivnick of the CDC. gaps in the state’s budget. tor of the Housing and Community Network of New Jer­ While the CDC only makes recommendations, it is the “There was a tax placed on new paint years ago,” said sey, the problem of toxic lead levels in our state is not New Jersey Department of Health who oversees lead Pivnick, of the state law mandating a 50 cents-per-gallon new. "This is a problem going back many, many years,” screening of children. Once health care providers pro­ tax on the retail sale of paint — funds that were supposed said Arce. “A lot of communities, especially the ones in vide lead screening, the results are then forwarded to the to go toward the Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund. Union County, are old communities and this is an issue.” NJDOH and included in their annual lead surveillance “The governor took the money and used it to balance the But the issue is far from limited to a tainted water report. The New Jersey Department of Community See LEAD, Page 10 Health index awards Summit’s Overlook Hospital By Jennifer Rubino for the equality set in place for people Staff Writer regardless of sexual orientation or gender. On Wednesday, March 31, Summit State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, of Union Overlook Hospital was recognized by the County, a prime sponsor of a bill to legalize Human Rights Campaign’s Healthcare same-sex marriages, also spoke. “Regard­ Equality Index as leaders in lesbian, gay, less of our background, sexual orientation, bisexual, transgender healthcare equality. faith or religion, we are one country, and This is the second year the medical center we are glad to see Atlantic Health Care is has been acknowledged for their achieve­ being recognized for making everyone feel ments in promoting equality. welcome — for reaching out to everyone.” The Healthcare Equality Index is a Also speaking was Assemblyman Tim national benchmarking tool that evaluates Eustace. He congratulated Atlantic Health health care facilities’ policies and practices on a “phenomenal job” and marveled at related to the equality and inclusion of “how far we’ve come.” He said that he and their LGBT patients, visitors and employ­ his husband had to deal with the homopho­ ees. bia of an unsympathetic hospital system It began with an emotional flag raising when an adopted son died of AIDS almost ceremony, as the Human Rights Campaign 30 years ago. “I’m looking at a hospital that flag, a blue flag with a yellow equality sym­ has turned that around 360 degrees and bol, was raised and president of Overlook come around to a healthcare system that is Photo Courtesy of Janina Hecht Medical Center, Alan Lieber, took front and appropriate for everybody.” A flag with an equality symbol was recently raised at a ceremony at Overlook. center. He gladly accepted the recognition See LGBT, Page 5 CUSTOM MARBLE RESIDENTIAL KITCHENS CABINETS AL;/ S r < s 7 ( / / / r / f COMMERCIAL D O I) / /WORKS GRANITE SALES Q UALI FY CUSTO M KITCHENS 973.583.0194 973.388.0595 Nf^TQUCH OF ELEGANCE FABRICATION *10 [email protected] www.njtouchofelegance.com BATHROOMS KITCHENS SI BATHROOM • MARJII1 SI GRANITE & INSTALLATION 409 WEST ELIZABETH AVE • LINDEN 53-A ROME STREET • NEWARK 2 - April 7, 2016 - Union County LocalSource A Mortgage to Make a House a Home. 30-YEAR FIXED RATE MORTGAGE .... ... ...... ^ ■ _____. _ , i L , Photos Courtesy of Susan Permahos A rendering of the alcove in the picture book section of the Summit Free Pub­ lic Library, where construction is under way on the new Children’s Room . 750% Summit library planning Children’s Room changes O/ By Jennifer Rubino browsing collection available in the Staff Writer library’s Hickok Meeting Room. The bulk “Whatever the cost of our libraries, the 'VS®***/O of the children’s section will be stored off price is cheap compared to that of an igno­ site for the duration of the reconstruction. rant nation.” This is the quote by Walter Story time and other programs will be held APR Cronkite at the end of Summit Library in the lower level meeting room for the Director, Susan Permahos’s, email signa­ duration of the project. Patrons were ture. It reflects the importance of the new encouraged to check out up to 70 books for renovation taking place at Summit Free an extended 42-day loan period. This Are You a First Time Homebuyer? Public Library in the children’s room would ensure that the renovation wouldn’t beginning April 4. come at the expense of reading any materi­ Call (866) 789-7878 and ask about other loan options that “Residents can expect it to be brighter, als. lequire little 01 no personal funds for a down payment, or to safer and will even include a Makerspace — Patrons are reminded that they can use apply. Also, visit us at nycbmortgagedirect.com a do-it-yourself space where kids can cre­ their Summit Libraiy cards at Millbum ate, invent and learn,” Susan Permahos Public Library, in libraries in Union and said. Middlesex counties that participate in the The project is planned to be completed MURAL Reciprocal Borrowing program, by mid-May. When it reopens, patrons will and also at libraries that participate in the be welcomed by brand-new stacks of Morris Union Federation program. books, tables and chairs, lots of display For more information about libraries Garden State Community Bank space and a new computer station with that honor your Summit libraiy card, visit brand new carpeting. An emergency door the Summit libraiy website at www.sum- A Division of New York Community Bank • M ember FDIC will be installed in the rear picture book mitlibrary.org/about-the-library/recipro- alcove to provide a safe route to exit. cal-libraries. The project is being funded by the city of In addition, eBooks and eAudio books 1R,a!e^ mati° n„ l s of 03/28/16- The payment on a $200,000 30-year Conforming Fixed Rate Loan Summit capital funds, the Summit Free are available through the library website at at 3.750/t, and 80% loan-to-value (LTV) is $926.23 with zero points due at closing. The estimated Public Library Foundation, the Library Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is 3.816%. Payment does not include private mortgage insurance, www.summitlibrary.org/resources/ebooks Endowment, and private donations. How­ -eaudiobooks. taxes, insurance premiums or additional loan-specific finance charges you may be required to pay. ever, the Summit Library Foundation is me actual payment amount will be greater. Some state and county maximum loan amount restrictions The entire renovation is expected to may apply.